New Orlean Mayor is charged in conjunction with alleged bodyguard relationship

The Mayor of New Orleans has been charged with charges of fraud and obstacles to justice after prosecutors claim that she and a bodyguard tried to hide an “intimate” relationship when the couple used public funds while “engaged in personal activities.”

Mayor Latoya Cantrell, 53, and Jeffrey Vappie, 52, were accused of a replacement prosecution with 18 total bills, according to EN August 15 message From the US law office, the eastern district in Louisiana.

Cantrell, The City’s First Female Mayor Who was elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021, is Accused of Having “Embarked on a Scheme to Defraud the City of New Orleans” and its Police Department Alongside Vappie, A Former New Orleans Police DEGENM Spent Personal Time With Her While Claiming to Be “On Duty,” According to the US Attorney’s Office.

The indictment also claims that the couple “coordinated to spend time together” in a city -owned apartment while Vappie was supposed to be on duty, arranged “14 domestic and international trips to maximize their time together” and were “aware of their behavior broke penalty” while the city of New Orleans was paid over $ 70,000 for his travels.

Vappie was already facing allegations of making false statements and leadership, according to Associated Press. The prosecution has since added the mayor to the case because she has been accused in six of the wire fraud, as well as a bill of obstacles to justice and two bills to make a false declaration for a grand jury.

The city and the mayor’s office did not immediately respond to people’s request for comment on Saturday, August 16. Cantrell has not shared a public statement on the matter.

A spokesman for the city told the AP that it was aware of the prosecution. “Until (Mayor’s lawyer) review is complete, the city will not comment further on this issue,” the statement reads.

City Council Jean-Paul Morrell’s spokesman told Fox News that it was “a sad day for the people of New Orleans.” He added that “thoughts and prayers are with the Cantrell family when navigating through this difficult time.”

The mayor’s current term ends on January 12, 2026.

The prosecution, according to the US lawyer’s office, describes the couple’s attempt to “hide their system and maintain their continued fraud”, including their use of messages -Platform WhatsApp, make “False statements to FBI agents” and “Compete pests before a federal jury.”

Cantrell and Vappie’s “personal, intimate relationship” date back to at least October 2021, according to the US law office. The news broke about their relationship in November 2022, with prosecutors who claimed that their “system” continued until his pension in June 2024.

Vappie is alleged to have “lied about the species and circumstances of his relationship” when he was questioned by the FBI 2023, while Cantrell is accused of “hidden” messages – including the removed WhatsApp – correspondence – from a grand jury.

The couple is facing five years in prison if it is convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, up to 20 years in prison for each bill of wire fraud, up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to prevent justice, according to the US lawyer.

Separately, Vappie is facing up to five years in prison for the false statement to the FBI fee, while Cantrell is facing up to 20 years for each obstacle to justice and up to five years for each bill to make false statements a grand jury. They also meet up to $ 250,000 in fines per bill.